Lesions of the central nervous system are a particular indication of treatment for the use of the present invention. Brain lesions and spinal cord lesions can induce minor or major morbidity. Some of the possible causes of those lesions are trauma (road traffic accidents, falls, fights, surgical interventions in the central nervous system and there exist many other examples of lesions due to trauma), spontaneous haemorrhages (intracerebral haematoma, intramedullary bleeding, cerebellar and brainstem bleeding, haemorrhage after stroke, etc. . . . ), stroke, tumours and infections once they have been partially or completely treated or have healed spontaneously, and perinatal lesions which are usually a cause of cerebral palsy.
The central nervous system consists of the brain, the cerebellum, the brainstem and the spinal cord. The lesions of the central nervous system we want to address in this invention are lesions which are relatively stable in time. This means that the present invention does not address acute infections, growing tumours, recent haemorrhages, etc. Examples of stable lesions are cavities in the nervous system, for instance of the group consisting of central nervous system (CNS) cavities after trauma once the acute phase has resolved, i.e. some weeks or months after the primary injury; CNS cavities after resorption of an intracerebral haemorrhage; CNS cavities after stabilisation of the size of the ventricles and of the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid; CNS cavities after partial or complete healing of a tumour or infection by any means (surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, radiosurgery or stereotactic radiotherapy, immunotherapy); CNS cavities due to perinatal lesions which cause cerebral palsy and which are by definition stable and CNS cavities due to agenesis of a certain part of the central nervous system. This list is not exhaustive and does not preclude the many other examples which can be thought of in the field of lesions of the central nervous system.
An example of brain lesions suitable for the treatment of present invention is demonstrated for instance in FIG. 1. FIGS. 1 a, b and c show a stable intracerebral lesion due to a brake of a bicycle which entered the brain after a fall several years before this scan (T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging) was taken. The patient has dyskinesia (abnormal movements) after this kind of injury. FIG. 1 d is a computerized tomography scan showing a lesion in the caudate nucleus, FIG. 1 e shows a lesion in the globus pallidus, FIG. 1 f in the thalamus.
Another example of brain lesion that can be treated by present invention is shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 a. shows large brain lesion in both hemispheres, and the cavity, which is filled with fluid, is easily accessible from the outside by a trepanation (operation with opening of a reasonable part of the skull). FIG. 2 b. shows large brain lesion in one hemisphere, and the cavity, which is filled with fluid is easily accessible from the outside by a trepanation and FIG. 2 c shows large lesion (hypo-intense on T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging or dark) in the spinal cord (grey), which causes both sensory and motor loss below the lesion, and both urinary and faecal incontinence.
Up to the date of present invention there was a clear need in the art to restore the nervous system functions, that have been lost by the occurrence of the lesions presented above.
Degenerative disorders of the central nervous system can also be an indication of treatment for the use of this invention.
Thus, there is a clear need in the art for treating nervous system disorders caused by lesions or cavities in said nervous system or for restoring functions of the nervous system that have been disabled by the lesions or cavities. The present invention provides such solution to this problem by bridging of the cavity with microelectrode elements more particular with microelectrodes for stimulation or microelectrodes for recording by repairing the nerve signal transduction. The system of present invention is particularly suitable for lesions which are relatively stable in time.